Hot Jam of the Day: Jae Stephens, “Every Time”

Posted on August 17, 2017 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Jae Stephens
“Every Time”
Digital Single
After dropping one of the best singles of 2017, the LA singer returns with a low-key follow up that continues to hint at her massive potential. “Every Time” is a sweltering love letter to her hometown, from her roots in Studio City to the packed freeways that connect its residents to a wealth of possibilities. Buoyed by the pulsing, soulful production of London singer-songwriter, Burno Major, Stephens captures the excitement and anxiety of exploring an endless maze that offers a million different ways to come back home.

Hot Jam of the Day: Car Seat Headrest, “War is Coming (If You Want It)”

Posted on August 17, 2017 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Car Seat Headrest
“War is Coming (If You Want It)”
Digital Single
If you aren’t worried about what is happening on this planet, you aren’t an actual human. Will Toldeo is a certified human and a very talented songwriter, and he displays both on this this world-weary new single. During a tight, tuneful three and a half minutes, Toldeo decries a number of popular, corrosive views that are currently polluting the globe and calls out a need for healing. The message may not be particularly novel, but we need as many positive voices as we can in these troubled times.

<a href="http://carseatheadrest.bandcamp.com/track/war-is-coming-if-you-want-it">War Is Coming (If You Want It) by Car Seat Headrest</a>

Hot Jam of the Day: Jesse Kivel, “LA Story”

Posted on August 15, 2017 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Jesse Kivel
“LA Story”
Content (out 10.06 on New Feelings)
After a couple years away, the Kisses/Princeton frontman returns with a gorgeous, slow-burning solo single. It’s unclear whether the 1991 Steve Martin film of the same name inspired this track, but the seductive keys, jazzy fretless bass-line, and massive horn chorus melody makes sure it wouldn’t sound out of place on the soundtrack. Kivel’s warm tenor is as smooth as ever, gliding high above the lush arrangement and capturing the city’s beauty and ennui.

Hot Jam of the Day: Kelela, “LMK”

Posted on August 3, 2017 by TP1.COM in Featured, Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Kelela
“LMK”
Take Me Apart (10.06 on Warp)
Our agonizing wait for the first taste of Kelela’s proper studio debut* is finally over, and my GOD, our girl came through with a banger. In lieu of just typing 4,000 fire emojis, I’ll just say that “LMK” is such a perfect distillation of what makes her such a special artist. The track lives in that ambiguous space between the club, the bedroom, and the radio. And the D.C. native devouring a club-ready Arca production and turning it into a slick, intoxicating slab of ultra-modern R&B.

And though everything about it sounds pristine, Kelela’s lyrics are never mere empty calories. She effortlessly deconstructs modern ghosting culture, reminding your local neighborhood fuckboi (or girl) that the main thing most people are looking for in the early going is honesty.

*Let’s be real, Cut 4 Me is an album

Hot Jam of the Day: Turnover, “Sunshine Type”

Posted on August 1, 2017 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Turnover
“Sunshine Type”
Good Nature (out 08.25 on Run for Cover)
The second track from the Virginia trio’s upcoming third LP is a delicious slice of subdued, humid, mid-tempo soft rock. Interestingly, both of Good Nature’s pre-release singles have lacked the urgency of 2015’s excellent Peripheral Vision. Instead, they have been languid and dreamy, which could be indicative of a shift from the angst of your early 20’s to the ennui of your mid 20’s. Or, maybe I just haven’t heard the whole record yet, and I should chill out on the predictions. Either way, I’m counting down the days until the 25th.

Hot Jam of the Day: Lomelda, “Out There”

Posted on July 28, 2017 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Lomelda
“Out There”
Thx (out 09.08 on Double Double Whammy)
“Out There” is that certain kind of wistful that will speak to anybody who has ever been young and stuck in a small, sleepy suburb. The track gorgeously chronicles singer-songwriter Hannah Read’s youth in the East Texas town of Silsbee, population 6,735. Over languid, windswept guitars, Read dreams of getting out and experiencing the big, beautiful, terrifying world that lies outside the city limits.

Hot Jam of the Day: The War on Drugs, “Strangest Things”

Posted on July 24, 2017 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

The War on Drugs
“Strangest Things”
A Deeper Understanding (out 08.25 on Atlantic)
Welp, looks like the Philly sadsacks’ hugely anticipated fourth LP is officially 3 for 3. Just like “Thinking of a Place” and “Holding on,” “Strangest Things” is a gorgeous, windswept epic that highlights frontman Adam Granduciel’s rare ability to craft sky-scraping power ballads. Though he isn’t blessed with a classic, powerhouse voice, the 38 year-old makes up for it with lush guitar and synth arrangements and deft, delicious melodies. Many bet that 2014’s excellent “Lost in the Dream” would be the group’s artistic zenith, but the more we hear from this new one, the more unlikely that seems.

Hot Jam of the Day: Tyler, The Creator, “Boredom”

Posted on July 14, 2017 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Tyler, The Creator
“Boredom”
Scum Fuck Flower Boy (out 07.21 on Odd Future)
Though my understanding of psychology is limited, I do know that boredom and emptiness tend to go together. And while this subdued new single from Tyler is named after the former, it is actually rooted in the latter.

Much of the pre-release chatter around SFFB is centered around his sexuality, but I’ve been struck how much of it seems to be about emotional emptiness — the kind that might arise when you are surrounded by every material possession you could ever want without anyone to share it with. Obviously, that’s a highly simplified, psych 101 reading of this track, but that’s about the extent of my expertise on the subject. Hopefully “Boredom” is only the tip of the iceberg in an album that will explore the issue far more deeply.

Hot Jam of the Day: Mhysa, “Bb”

Posted on June 28, 2017 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Mhysa
“Bb”
fantasii (out 07.21 on Halcyon Veil)
The new single from the Philly-based, multi-platform artist’s debut LP is a sprawling, modern slice of down-tempo R&B. Across six engulfing minutes, Mhysa lets her mind glide back to memories of a past relationship, wondering if her ex is somewhere out there thinking of her. Her feelings are still strong but aren’t raw anymore, thanks to the way time smooths over our frayed feelings and rough edges. That gives the track a clear-eyed quality — a true reconsideration of past events, rather than a call for reconciliation.

Stream it at The Fader.

Hot Jam of the Day: Dej Loaf, “No Fear”

Posted on June 20, 2017 by TP1.COM in Hot Jam of the Day | Comments Off

Dej Loaf
“No Fear”
Liberated (out TBA on Epic)
When the Detroit native dropped her smash debut “Try Me” in 2014, few could have predicted the versatile career that followed. She’s excelled both as a tough-talking street rapper (“Try Me,” “Back Up,”) and a sensual R&B singer (“Me U & Hennessy,” “Easy Love,” “Miami”), while dropping a handful of potent tracks that feature a little bit of both.

That said, we haven’t quite heard Deja like this. “No Fear” is basically a straight ahead pop single, complete with a bouncy, sticky chorus and jazzy guitars. Even though she’s never stumbled before, I’m frankly surprised how well this song works. She handles the track like a natural, injecting energy and grace with the ease of a seasoned pop star. Impressive.

Hot Jam of the Day